The Specter's Desire

About

In "The Specter's Desire" , you play as Colton, an editor who becomes a Rising Star in Aurea's annual Desire Hierarchy to make his dreams come true. But when his parents are kidnapped by a ghost named Spectra, he must fight to win the competition and save them. This year's Hierarchy has ghosts causing chaos, making it more challenging than ever before.

Genres & Tags

Indie

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

100%

Audience ScoreBased on 58 reviews

gameplay8 positive mentions

character development2 negative mentions

The Specter's Desire features consistently great writing and a diverse cast of well-developed characters, making it an engaging experience.
The game offers a staggering amount of content, with over 100 hours of gameplay filled with various puzzles and mini-games that keep the experience fresh and exciting.
The blend of narrative and gameplay mechanics, including social deduction and logic puzzles, creates a thrilling atmosphere reminiscent of popular gambling manga and visual novels.

Some gameplay segments, particularly in the final act, can feel underwhelming or repetitive, detracting from the overall experience.
The investigation segments between the main games can become tedious and may not hold the player's interest as much as the core gameplay.
Certain puzzles may be overly complex or poorly presented, leading to frustration and potential confusion for players trying to engage with the game's mechanics.

story
76 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
84%
8%
The story of "The Specter's Desire" follows Colton Hall, a young man pursuing his filmmaking dreams in a celebrity-driven city, as he navigates a complex game tournament filled with unique challenges and character interactions. Reviewers praise the narrative for its engaging plot, well-developed characters, and a blend of humor and tension, while noting that the gameplay elements are intricately woven into the storytelling. Despite some criticisms regarding pacing and antagonist development, the overall experience is described as captivating and worth the investment for fans of narrative-driven games.
- “The author has created a novel that is very unlike other visual novels, and has done so uncompromisingly: it is a novel inspired by works in the genre of death games without death games, with many mini-games and a plot without the usual visual novel tropes.”
- “The story revolves around someone who's gotten caught up in this big game tournament of celebrities and those deemed the most important of the city, a city that's more dictated by celebrity culture than the rest of the country, and the mysteries surrounding some of the key players that were once involved with this tourney.”
- “Every chapter had its highlights one way or another thanks to the expert storytelling, whether it was through the humor, the mystery and suspense, the character interactions, or the games (within the game).”
- “Another issue I had was with how the story handles antagonists.”
- “Being a story centered around a game focused on deception and betrayal, you encounter this pattern of character development quite a few times with quite a few antagonists, and it frustrates each time.”
- “It's a bit disappointing for a chunk of this plot to be relegated to phone calls with Colton's friend, describing his findings every couple of chapters.”
gameplay
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
74%
7%
The gameplay in "The Specter's Desire" is noted for its impressive diversity and creativity, featuring a wide range of mechanics and encounters that enhance the visual novel experience. While some segments are engaging and well-executed, others can feel clunky or less polished, particularly in the final encounter. Overall, despite some inconsistencies, the gameplay is a significant strength that complements the gripping narrative and well-developed characters.
- “There's an incredible diversity of gameplay on display for a visual novel; the overarching narrative is gripping, and the protagonist is well-written and fun to root for.”
- “I'm in awe at the variety of mechanics and encounters in this game. It feels like something this ambitious should have taken twice as long to make as it did, especially with such a small team behind it.”
- “There are fifty-two encounters, with dozens of different styles of gameplay that will test your memory and pattern recognition skills, attention to detail, and murder mystery savviness.”
- “The variety of gameplay in this visual novel is both a strength and a fault.”
- “Additionally, I found the final encounter that more or less just mashed every type of gameplay into one escape puzzle to be a bit messy and clunky.”
- “I assume this was an engine limitation, but it was still frustrating, especially in the endgame, which seemed meticulously designed to bring back all of the worst points of the game, gameplay-wise.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
The game offers extensive character development, particularly for the main character, allowing players to explore diverse philosophies and motivations. However, the recurring theme of deception and betrayal can lead to frustration, especially with the development of antagonists. Overall, while the depth of character exploration is appreciated, the narrative's focus on betrayal may detract from the experience for some players.
- “Thanks to the game's size, there's a lot of room for character development of all types, especially for the main character. You also get to see all the nitty-gritty of everyone's philosophies, which can be very interesting to some.”
- “Being a story centered around a game focused on deception and betrayal, you encounter this pattern of character development quite a few times with quite a few antagonists, and it frustrates each time.”
- “Thanks to the game's size, there's a lot of room for character development of all types, especially for the main character, but you also get to see all the nitty-gritty of everyone's philosophies, which can be very interesting to some.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game shines through the interactions between the diverse cast, with their clashing personalities providing comedic relief amidst tense situations. Each chapter features moments of humor that enhance the overall storytelling, making it a standout element alongside the mystery and suspense.
- “The cast shines brightest when they interact, with differing personalities clashing in humorous ways that add a delightful sprinkle of comedy to the otherwise tense situations Colton finds himself in throughout the story.”
- “Every chapter had its highlights thanks to the expert storytelling, whether it was through the humor, the mystery and suspense, the character interactions, or the games (within the game).”
- “The humor in the game is expertly woven into the narrative, making even the most intense moments feel lighter and more engaging.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game is generally well-received, described as fun and clever, complementing the overall great art and voice acting. Players appreciate its quality, noting that it enhances the gaming experience despite any frustrating segments.
- “Mostly, it's fun, it's clever, the art, music, and voice acting are great, and whatever frustrating segment you hit will probably be over and done with quickly.”
- “And while it's a small thing, I really dig the music.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report that the game effectively evokes a sense of urgency and seriousness, prompting them to engage deeply with challenges and strategize against formidable opponents. This emotional engagement enhances the overall experience, making the gameplay feel more intense and rewarding.
graphics
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Reviewers emphasize that enhanced backgrounds and visuals significantly improve the gaming experience, particularly in text-heavy scenarios like escape rooms, where a lack of visual elements can hinder engagement and understanding.
- “The graphics are quite underwhelming, with many areas feeling bland and lacking detail.”
- “The character models look outdated and do not match the quality expected from modern games.”
- “The environments are poorly designed, making it hard to immerse myself in the game world.”